Changing tracks

[silverhawk]

Hello I know that I'm fairly new to the train collection ,I've just purchased my third Bachmann train set and I don't want to mess these trains up . Two are the Bachmann E-Z Tracks and the last one is the power lock tracks. So I was wondering if I could use the steel alloy tracks instead of using the plastic tracks. Any help would be most grateful

[SteamGene]

I'm not sure I exactly understand your question, so I have two. 
First, by "plastic track," do you mean track with metal rails and a plastic roadbed? 
Second, do both kinds of track physically mesh with one another?
If the answer to both is "yes," then you can use them together.   
Bachamnn has two types of track, the older variety with steel rails and a black roadbed and the newer with nickle-silver rails and a gray roadbed.  The problem with the steel is it gets dirty faster. 
I hope this helps.
Gene

[OkieRick]

Gene I think you answered his question...topic is "changing tracks"


Silverhawk-

I'll assume yu're running HO gage.  I don't ue E-Z track but lots here do. Others nail track to plywood bases.  Your train will run on either track.

I've seen discussions in the HO area about connecting E-Z track to track with no attached bed.  Basically, where there's a will there's a way.

Rick

[pdlethbridge]

I thought it was "where there's a will, there's a relative"

[grumpy]

Usually more than one
Don

[Stephen D. Richards]

Ya got that right!   Stephen   

[jward]

The problem with the steel is it gets dirty faster. 

steel also rusts. i try not to use steel unless i have to.

[OkieRick]

It's a shame you three yay-hoos aren't mentioned in the will.  At least, nothing that can be mentioned here.    nyuk nyuk nyuk


The Okie

[OkieRick]

I have three suitcases, big suitcases, full of brass track left from all the train equipment my uncle left me.  I had a 4'x8' "Figure 8" nailed down to run my first new Proto 2000 Heritage Series DCC & Sound steam locomotive at the I bought end of 2008 on.  A new MRC power supply had my Steamer working like something out of a folk song.

A friend & helper of mine told me "they" didn't use brass any longer - that nickel-steel and other alloy track had taken its' place.  I called Walthers to discuss it with a tech guy - he said to trash it and replace it with 83 (code 83) nickel-steel track.

I'm sure he would have liked me to do that and re-order from him.

No way was I going to toss over a mile of brass track away.  A little research later I found there was Code 100 and Code 83, track with bed attached, track and rails, flextrack pieces in 36" lengths, etc. and a lot of people that not only made their own track but some made their own working turnouts.

I talked to a guy in Tulsa that owns a small train only sales & repair shop and runs a MRR club about track. He told me the club had two layouts, one brass and one code 83 NS track. I told him about my situation - he said brass is fine just keep it cleaned and untarnished.  I ran across a load of Atlas track both code 83 and 100 (see http://www.trainworld.com/atlas/atlas_HO_track.htm ) at a second hand store.

Bottom line is what do you chose to use. It's your rail road.

What trains do you have?  What gage?

luck-
Rick

[Jhanecker2]

to  Silverhawk : Bachman E-Z Track both Steel & Nickel-siver will work together . Powerlock Track by Walthers can be adapted to E-Z track with a Powerlock adapter. Both E-Z track and Powerlock are code 100 track .   E-Z track has a larger variety of track and switches.  John 2/

[jward]

rick's comment about using brass rail brings up something i noticed when i started using dcc. brass track runs cleaner on dcc than nickle silver. places where i used brass rail would run well for months in a very dusty environment, the nickle silver was always being cleaned.....

i am wondering if the carrier signal of dcc has some sort of ultrasonic cleaning effect? there are ultrasonic track cleaners on the market which use high frequency ac to scrub the rails, and the dcc carrier is also high frequency ac.............